The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers assaulted 1 Palestinian man and stole his donkey in Halaweh in the Masafer Yatta area. Israeli forces shot and injured 5 Palestinians during a raid in Jenin refugee camp, including 1 who was rushed to a hospital in Haifa for treatment; 3 were arrested. Israeli forces also demolished 1 Palestinian home in Tura. 11 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Kobar, Kafr Malik, Tammun, ‘Askar refugee camp, Kafr Qaddum, al-Eizariya, and Deir Sammit; 1 Palestinian was injured by live ammunition during the raid in Tammun. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces assaulted and arrested 1 Palestinian woman in the Old City, claiming she had tried to stab an Israeli police officer. Israeli forces also seized Palestinian school books from students entering the Haram al-Sharif compound. (HA, JP, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/4; MEE 9/5; PCHR 9/7; HA 9/10; UNOCHA 9/11)

Israel closed the Karim Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing to Gaza, claiming explosives were found in a shipment of clothes. (QDS, REU 9/4; AJ 9/5; PCHR 9/7)

Al Watan Voice reported that Israel transferred a group of Palestinian prisoners, including Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, from the Nafha prison to the Ofer prison. (MEMO 9/5)

The Israeli Attorney General’s office informed the family of Eyad Hallaq that it would not appeal the decision of the Jerusalem District Court to acquit the police officer who shot and killed Hallaq in Jerusalem on 5/30/2020. On 9/5, Hallaq’s family petitioned the Supreme Court through Adalah to overturn the decision. (WAFA 9/4; MDW, WAFA 9/6)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas spoke by phone with U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken. A delegation of Palestinian officials is scheduled to meet Saudi and U.S. officials in Riyadh on 9/5 to discuss Saudi-Israeli normalization. (QDS, QDS, WAFA 9/4)

Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen attended the opening ceremony for the Israeli embassy to Bahrain in Manama. Cohen also met with Bahrain’s crown prince and prime minister Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa. (AP 9/3; AJ, HA, JP 9/4)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides and Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Nicosia, discussing trilateral agreements, including the potential export of Israeli gas to Europe. (ALM, BB 9/4)

The Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that Libyan prime minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh met with Mossad chief David Barnea in 2022 to discuss potential normalization. The talks reportedly included Jordanian, UAE, and U.S. officials. The reporting follows unrest in Libya after Foreign Minister Cohen disclosed a meeting with Libyan foreign minister Najla Mangoush on 8/27, leading to the dismissal of Mangoush by Dbeibeh. (TOI 9/4)

New Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni reversed his predecessor Ada Colau’s decision to end the city’s twinning agreement with Tel Aviv. Colau canceled the city twinning agreement in February, citing Israel’s apartheid policies. (MEE 9/4)

In the West Bank, more than 250 Israeli settlers with a military escort raided Turmus ‘Ayya, shooting and killing 1 Palestinian, injuring 12 others with live ammunition, and setting 60 vehicles, 30 homes, and dozens of trees on fire. It was unclear if the Palestinian casualty was killed by settlers or Israeli forces during the raid. Israeli settlers also raided al-Mazra’a al-Gharbiya, vandalizing Palestinian property. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers vandalized farmland, a junkyard, a car wash, vehicles, and a gas station in al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya. Israeli settlers also raided Kafr ad-Dik, vandalizing homes and vehicles. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers vandalized 3 agricultural structures and 25 lemon and fig trees in Burqa. Israeli settlers also set fire to farmland in Husan. Israeli forces assassinated 3 Palestinians, including 1 minor, in a drone strike on a vehicle in Jalama. The Jenin Brigades said 2 of the Palestinians were members of Islamic Jihad and 1 was a member of Fatah. It was the first time since 2006 that Israel used drones to attack Palestinians in the West Bank. Israeli forces also raided ‘Urif, arresting 5 and taking measurements for punitive demolitions of 2 homes. Elsewhere, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 Palestinian during a late-night raid in Kafr Malik. 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Tammun, Rumana, and Aqabat Jaber refugee camp. In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities demolished 2 apartments in al-Tur. (AJ, AJ, AX, BBC, HA, HA, MDW, MEE, MEE, MEE, NYT, PCHR, REU, REU, TOI, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/21; AP, HA, NYT, PCHR, PCHR, TIME 6/22; MEE, NPR 6/23; HA 6/24; AJ 6/29; UNOCHA 7/8)

The PA said that it had recorded 310 settler attacks on Palestinians and their property since 6/20. (ALM 6/22)

U.S. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel called on Israel to investigate the incident in Turmus ‘Ayya and to compensate Palestinians for damaged property. The EU also called the settler attacks “unacceptable.” (HA, TOI, WAFA 6/21; MEE, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/22)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government would immediately advance 1,000 new settlement housing units in Eli as collective punishment for the killing of 4 Israeli settlers near the settlement on 6/20. (HA, MEE, REU, TOI 6/21; PCN 6/23)

Axios reported that U.S. senior advisor for energy and infrastructure Amos Hochstein was in Saudi Arabia to continue talks on a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia. It was reported that Hochstein was discussing the Saudi demand for U.S. help in creating a nuclear program in return for formally normalizing ties with Israel. (AX 6/21)

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler pepper sprayed 1 Palestinian minor in Huwwara. Israeli forces demolished 1 residential structure and 1 agricultural structure in Nabi Musa, demolished 15 commercial structures in Wadi al-Qelt, and demolished 2 homes in Duma. During the demolitions in Duma, Israeli forces shot and injured 1 journalist with a baton round and injured others with tear gas. Israeli forces also notified Palestinians in Hizma and Jaba’ that Israel will seize 500 dunams (123 acres) of land between the 2 villages to expand a settler-only road. 28 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in al-Mughayyir, Kafr Malik, al-Bireh, Nur Shams refugee camp, Nablus, Jericho, Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, and Hebron. In Gaza, 12 rockets were launched at Israel, causing no damage. Israeli forces subsequently launched airstrikes at Gaza, causing damage. In the Naqab, Israeli authorities demolished 1 Palestinian-owned home in Umm Batin. (HA, REU 2/1; AJ, AP, AP, MEE, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/2 AJ 2/3; PCHR 2/9; UNOCHA 2/21)

Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen met with Abdel Fatah Al Burhan, president of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council, in Khartoum. After the meeting the 2 parties announced that Sudan will sign a normalization deal with Israel in Washington D.C. later in 2023. (AJ, ALM, AP, HA, HA, HA, MEE 2/2; ALM 2/3)

Chadian president Mahamat Idriss Deby and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the opening ceremony for the new Chadian embassy to Israel in Tel Aviv. (AJ, ALM, AP, AX, REU 2/1; HA 2/2)

Prime Minister Netanyahu met with French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris. According to the French daily Le Monde, Macron told Netanyahu that “France will assume that Israel has disconnected from the two countries’ democratic perception,” if Netanyahu moves ahead with his planned changes to the Israeli judicial system. (HA 2/2; ALM, HA 2/3)

Jordanian king Abdullah II met with U.S. president Joe Biden at the White House, discussing the need to preserve the status quo at the Jerusalem Holy Sites. (AX 2/1; MEE 2/2; AJ 2/3)

The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives voted 218-211 to remove representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from the foreign affairs committee due to her criticism of Israel. (HA, MDW, MEE 2/2; MEE 2/3)

The EU announced a support package to Palestine worth $319 million, including $214 to the PA, $32 for clean water projects in Gaza, $29 to small and medium sized businesses, $13 million earmarked for Palestinians in East Jerusalem, $8.5 million for infrastructure in Area C, and $5 million for judicial support. (WAFA 2/2)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces shot and injured 2 Palestinian minors during a raid in Rumana; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians during a raid in al-Arroub refugee camp, causing tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces razed farmland and olive trees in al-Zawiya to make room for water pipes connecting 2 Israeli settlements. Israeli forces also seized 1 bulldozer and construction equipment in Artas, seized 1 mobile home in Duma, and demolished 2 residential structures near Kafr Malik, displacing 17. 12 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Dura, Hebron, Dheisheh refugee camp, Kafr Ni‘ma, and Tulkarm. In the Naqab, Israeli authorities demolished 1 Palestinian-owned home in al-Buqei‘a Bedouin community, displacing 14. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/21; PCHR 9/22; UNOCHA 9/30)

The PA security forces and local militant factions in Nablus reached an agreement to end tensions in the city. The PA security forces reportedly promised not to arrest Palestinians in Nablus on behalf of Israel and that the PA would release many of those arrested on 9/20 during the unrest that followed the arrest of Hamas member Musab Ashtaya. (HA 9/22)

30 Palestinians held on administrative detention announced that they would start an open-ended hunger strike, demanding their freedom. The mass hunger strike is scheduled to begin on 9/25. (AJ 9/25)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas held meetings with leaders of the UK, Libya, Malta, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Norway at the sidelines of the annual UNGA meeting. President Abbas also met with president of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari at the UN building. (WAFA 9/21; WAFA 9/22)

UK prime minister Liz Truss told Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid, during a meeting on the sidelines of the UNGA, that she is considering moving the UK embassy of Israel to Jerusalem. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Truss told reporters that Truss’s government is reviewing the current location of the embassy. The PA condemned the news, saying that “opening an embassy in Jerusalem amounts to complicity in Israel’s illegal annexation of the city.” Prime Minister Lapid also met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and UN secretary-general António Guterres. (ALM, NAT 9/21; AJ, DM, GDN, HA, IN, JP, MEE, MEMO, MEMO, REU, TOI, WAFA, WAFA 9/22; MEE 9/23; MEMO 9/24)

Saudi foreign minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and EU high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borell convened a meeting with representatives from 25 countries, including the U.S. and the PA, to find ways to revamp the Arab Peace Initiative. (AX 9/21; WAFA 9/22)

The foreign ministers of Egypt, France, Jordan, and Germany held a meeting on the sidelines of the UNGA, focused on revamping the Middle East peace process. The 4 countries released a statement calling on resuming direct negotiations. (WAFA 9/22; WAFA 9/23)

In an interview with French media, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he was “in shock” over Israel’s refusal to supply air defense systems to Ukraine to help the country in its fight against the occupying Russian forces. (TOI 9/23; JP, MEE, REU 9/24; AJ 9/25)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces handed notices informing residents that Israel will confiscate 13 dunams (3.2 acres) of land in Hizma. Israeli forces also confiscated 25,000 NIS ($7,000) during a raid in Bayt Furik. 16 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Abu Dis, al-Bireh, Dheisheh refugee camp, Kafr Malik, Birzeit, ‘Azun, al-Khadir, Nablus, Hebron, and Dura, including 6 members of the same family during a house raid in Hebron. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers with police escort moved into 16 apartments in Silwan that had been sold to the settler organization Ateret Cohanim. Israeli forces banned a children’s event in the Old City, claiming it was funded by the PA. In Israel, Israeli prison units clashed with Palestinian prisoners in the Rimon prison; the units were raiding 2 sections of the prison. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 4/8; PCHR 4/15)

Israel said it would not cooperate with the ICC investigation into alleged war crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territory after 2 days of meetings between Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, and Defense Minister Benny Gantz. Israel said that its rejection is based on its belief that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over the occupied territory, since it argues that the PA is not a state and Israel is not a party to the ICC. (AJ, AP, JP 4/8; HA 4/11)

Israel fired missiles at Syria near Damascus, killing at least 3 people. Syrian state news said it had intercepted most of the missiles. (AJ, HA, JP, TOI 4/8)

In the West Bank, 1 Israeli settler shot 1 Palestinian man near Ras Karkar; according to Israeli authorities, the Palestinian man was unarmed and was shot at a settlement outpost near Ras Karkar; Israeli forces subsequently raided the deceased Palestinian’s house. Israeli settlers also raided Luban al-Sharqiyya, leading to confrontations between Palestinians and the settlers’ military escort; tear-gas related injuries were reported. Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Malik, injuring 1 with live ammunition. Israeli forces also violently dispersed a protest in Bayt Dajan, causing tear-gas related injuries. Elsewhere, Israeli forces violently dispersed the weekly anti-settlement protest in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 5 Palestinians with rubber-coated bullets. Israeli forces also opened fire on Palestinians near Silwad, injuring 1 with live ammunition. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a late-night raid near Nablus. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural lands east of Abasan and al-Showka; no injuries were reported. (AJ, AP, HA, JP, MEE, TOI, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/5; HA 2/11; PCHR 2/11)

The ICC ruled that it has territorial jurisdiction to persecute alleged war crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territories, as it found Palestine to be “a State Party to the [Rome] Statute.” The ICC defined the occupied Palestinian territories as the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza. Israel has argued that the ICC does not have jurisdiction to prosecute matters pertaining to Israel and Palestine because Israel is not party to the Rome Statute and because Palestine is not a state. The latter 2 of the 3 ICC judges ultimately disagreed with erasing the final hurdle to start a formal investigation, 6 years after the ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda started her preliminary investigation into alleged war crimes made by Israel and Hamas. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the ruling “pure anti-Semitism” and said, “[w]e will fight this perversion of justice with all our might.” The PA prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh praised the decision. The U.S. State Department’s spokesperson said the U.S. has “serious concern about the ICC’s attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel. We have always taken the position that the court’s jurisdiction should be reserved for countries that consent to it or that are referred by the UN Security Council.” Haaretz reported that Israel has started briefing military personnel on potential implications for them if the proceedings move to a trial. (AJ, AX, DOS, HA, ICC, NYT, WAFA, WAFA 2/5; AJ, AP, HA, HA, PCHR, REU, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/6; AX, HA, HA, HA, MDW, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 2/7; WAFA 2/8)

An UNRWA spokesperson said that the UAE’s contributions to the agency dropped from $51.8 million in 2018 and in 2019 to $1 million in 2020. (AJ, HA 2/6)

The U.S. Biden administration notified Congress that it will remove the Houthi group from the list of foreign terrorist organizations. The Houthis were declared a terrorist organization by the Trump administration shortly before the Trump presidency ended. (REU 2/5; AJ 2/6; AJ 2/8)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces raided Kafr Malik, leading to clashes with Palestinians; 1 Palestinian was shot by a rubber-coated bullet, others suffered tear-gas related injuries. Israeli forces also razed hundreds of olive trees near Tubas. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 1 residential structure and 1 agricultural structure in Sawahara al-Sharqiyya, seized 2 agricultural structures in Khan al-Ahmar, and demolished 1 mosque in a Bedouin community near Yatta. Palestinians protested the PA presidential decrees published on 1/11, which critics say serve to bolster the PA presidency at the expense of the judicial branch of government; the protests were held in front of the court complex in Ramallah. 18 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Jenin, Qabatiya, Madama, Sabastiyya, Hizma, Hebron, and Birzeit. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/27; HA, PCHR 1/28)

The PA announced it had decided to close the Allenby border crossing with Jordan to prevent the spread of new COVID-19 virus variants. The closure is in effect until 2/3. (WAFA 1/28)

After Israel refused to allow restoration work on the Dome of the Rock and other holy places in the Haram al-Sharif compound, Jordan’s foreign minister Ayman Safadi said Israel had agreed to retract its objections and allow the restoration work. (WAFA 1/27; WAFA 1/28)

Member of the Palestinian-Israeli Balad party Mtanes Shehadeh said after a meeting among members of the Arab Joint List that the list will likely be dissolved before the next election due to “fundamental political differences.” 1 of the reasons the Arab Joint List is having irreconcilable differences is that Mansour Abbas, the leader of the United Arab List, is seeking closer ties with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Another reason is the United Arab List’s more conservative values compared to the 3 other parties. Parties running for the Israeli elections have until 2/4 to submit their composition of candidates. (HA 1/25; HA, TOI 1/27)

Large protests broke out in Tripoli in Lebanon, leading to confrontations between police and protesters. 1 protester was reported dead and 226 people injured, including 26 police officers. The protesters started taking to the street on 1/25, demonstrating against the COVID-19-related lockdown measures and deteriorating living conditions. (AP 1/27; AP 1/28)

The new U.S. administration said it would freeze the sale of F-35 fighter jets to the UAE and munitions to Saudi Arabia to review the transactions. U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken said the practice of new administrations reviewing pending sales of weaponry is not uncommon. The sale of the F-35 fighter jets to the UAE was part of the Israel-U.S.-UAE normalization deal announced in August 2020. Secretary Blinken also spoke with the Israeli foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi over the phone to discuss, among other issues, expanding the Trump administration’s normalization efforts. (AJ, AX, HA, HA, TOI 1/27)

At her confirmation hearing, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. president Joe Biden’s nominee for UN ambassador, said that she finds the BDS movement “unacceptable” and that it is on “the verge of antisemitism.” Thomas-Greenfield also said she was looking forward to combatting “anti-Israel bias” at the UN and hoped to see more countries join normalization deals with Israel and the U.S. (HA, MEE, TOI 1/27)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked 3 Palestinian farmers in Kafr Malik, who were then taken to a hospital for treatment. Israeli forces shot and injured 1 differently abled Palestinian using live ammunition at a checkpoint near Jericho. Israeli forces also sealed the entrances to al-Mughayyir. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished 8 residential structures near Bayt Iksa and confiscated a generator, 25 olive seedlings, 2 doors, and 4 windows in Farasin. 9 Palestinians were arrested during raids in Dheisheh refugee camp, Qabatiya, Qalqilya, Yatta, and Sa‘ir; 2 Palestinians were shot by live ammunition during the raids in Dheisheh refugee camp and Qabatiya. In East Jerusalem, a number of Palestinians burned 1 vehicle belonging to a settler in al-Tur; Israeli forces intervened, leading to tear-gas related injuries and 2 arrests. 1 other Palestinian was arrested during a raid in Issawiyya. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishermen within 3-6 nautical miles west of Bayt Lahiya; no injuries were reported. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire at agricultural lands east of Dayr al-Balah; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 1/7; PCHR 1/14)

Axios reported that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was seeking to consolidate his power over Israel’s Iran policy before the Joe Biden presidency. In a letter to Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz, foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi, ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, and the Mossad director and IDF chief of staff, Prime Minister Netanyahu said that, “the Israeli government position regarding the Iran nuclear deal will be finalized exclusively by the Prime Minister on the basis of analysis done by the national security council in the Prime Minister’s office.” Axios wrote that Netanyahu wants a more hawkish stance on President-Elect Biden’s wish to re-enter the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action than the rest of the relevant cabinet members and officials. (AX 1/7)

An Iraqi court issued an arrest warrant for U.S. president Donald Trump in connection with the assassination of Iranian general Qassim Soleimani and commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Committee Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in 1/3/2020 at the Baghdad airport by U.S. forces. Iran put out a “red notice” request through Interpol for the arrest of President Trump on 1/5. (AJ, HA 1/7)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uprooted some 400 grape saplings in Turmus ‘Ayya. Israeli forces violently dispersed the weekly anti-settlement protests in Kafr Qaddum, seriously injuring 1 Palestinian minor who was hospitalized with a fractured skull after being hit by a rubber-coated bullet; 14 others were also injured by rubber-coated bullets and others suffered tear-gas related injuries during Israeli crackdowns on protests in Bayt Dajan and Kafr Malik. 10 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Bayt Dajan, Jenin, and Bethlehem. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 11/27; HA, WAFA 11/28; PCHR 12/3)

In the West Bank, a PA-issued 48-hour lockdown commenced to halt the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The lockdown will last until 11/29. (AJ, WAFA 11/27)

A top Iranian nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated while driving his car in Absard some 40 miles east of Tehran. Iran said that there were “serious indications of Israeli responsibility.” An anonymous Israeli official confirmed to the NYT that Israel was behind the assassination. The NYT also had 3 other intelligence sources confirm Israel’s involvement. According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, Fakhrizadeh was killed by a remote-controlled machine gun attached to a deserted car. The NYT reported a different story of the events in which 12 assassins caught up to Fakhrizadeh’s car and shot him before leaving the scene unharmed. Israel has previously claimed that Fakhrizadeh was the scientist behind Iran’s nuclear program and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in 2018 during a press conference that people should remember Fakhrizadeh’s name. Former CIA director John Brennan condemned the assassination, calling it “flagrant violation of international law.” The EU, UN, UAE, and Jordan also condemned the assassination. Israel assassinated at least 4 Iranian scientists between 2010 and 2012. Several Israeli public officials denied knowing who assassinated Fakhrizadeh. (AJ, AJ, HA, REU, REU 11/27; AJ, AJ, AJ, AJ, HA, HA, HA, HA, NYT, REU 11/28; AJ, GDN, HA, HA, REU 11/29; AJ, FOX, HA, HA, NBC, REU, SKY, TOI, VOA 11/30; HA 12/1)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers stole ladders, cloth, and saws used for olive harvesting in Jalud. Israeli forces demolished 3 residential structures near Abu Dis. 2 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Kafr Malik and Bethlehem; during raids in Kafr Malik, Tammun, and Jab‘a, confrontations with Palestinians erupted, leading to tear-gas related injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces demolished 1 store and 1 apartment in Sur Bahir. 3 Palestinians were arrested in and around the Old City, al-Tur, and Shu‘fat refugee camp. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on agricultural lands east of al-Qarara; no injuries were reported. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/28; PCHR 10/29)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas sent a letter to UN secretary-general António Guterres urging him to convene an international conference for Middle East peace. (WAFA 10/29)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman signed an agreement on scientific cooperation, which extends the area that the U.S. considers Israel to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the Golan Heights. In a statement, Ambassador Friedman said that the agreement “remove[s] geographic restrictions . . . These geographic restrictions are no longer consistent with U.S. policy.” According to Haaretz, the American casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who is a major donor for U.S. president Donald Trump and the Ariel University in the Ariel settlement, where the signing ceremony was held, has been pressuring the U.S. administration to fast-track the agreement. Member of the executive committee of the PLO Hanan Ashrawi said that President Trump is seeking to bolster his position in the presidential race by making “a clear recognition of Israel’s annexation of Palestinian territory,” calling the U.S. an active participant in war crimes. (AX, JNS, JP, REU 10/27; HA, REU, U.S. Embassy in Israel, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 10/28)

In the West Bank, Palestinians in Kafr Malik forced Israeli settlers to leave their property after they set up caravans on their land; as the confrontation ensued, Israeli forces intervened on behalf of the settlers, injuring 2 Palestinians with rubber-coated bullets. Elsewhere, Israeli settlers threw stones at construction workers in Burqa. Israeli forces razed Palestinian-owned land in Haris. 12 Palestinians in the Ofer prison tested positive for COVID-19, raising the number of Palestinian prisoners testing positive for the virus to 29. 43 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Dura, Hebron, Yatta, Bani Na‘im, al-‘Arub refugee camp, Bayt Umar, Bethlehem, and Tulkarm. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian family started demolishing 2 floors of their home in the Old City. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/8; PCHR 9/10)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized for the killing of a Palestinian-Israeli man who Israeli police shot during the demolition of the Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran in the Negev in January 2017. Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israeli police, after the shooting, falsely had claimed the man was a terrorist. Chairman of the Joint List Ayman Odeh accused Netanyahu of having created the idea that the Palestinian-Israeli man was a terrorist when he was killed in 2017. Netanyahu’s comments fell after Haaretz reported on an internal document from the Shin Bet saying there was no evidence or indication of a terror attack. (HA 9/8; HA 9/9; TOI 9/10)

The son of Chadian president Idriss Déby, Abdelkarim Déby, represented his country during a visit to Israel and meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu. According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, the 2 discussed possibly exchanging embassies, including a Chadian embassy in Jerusalem. The Chadian foreign ministry “categorically” denied having any intentions to open an embassy in Jerusalem. (HA 9/8; WAFA 9/9)

The EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah expressed concern over Israel’s demolitions of Palestinian structures in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. (WAFA 9/8)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers sprayed racist graffiti on several structures, including a mosque, and punctured the tires of 3 vehicles in Kafr Malik near Ramallah. Israeli settlers also uprooted 30 olive trees near Bani Na‘im. Israeli forces arrested 16 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus, and Ramallah. Israeli authorities also approved cutting down around 2,000 olive trees south of Bethlehem. In Gaza, 5 Palestinians were hospitalized after suffering from tear gas inhalation east of Rafah. In the Israeli city of Afula, local Jewish Israelis, including the city’s mayor, protested the sale of a home to a Palestinian-Israeli family. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 6/16; HA, WAFA, WAFA 6/17)

The Israeli Jerusalem municipality approved naming streets in the Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem after Jewish rabbis. (HA 6/17)

The chairman of Qatar’s National Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza Mohammed al-Emadi met Israeli and Palestinian officials in Israel and Gaza to discuss the implementation of the cease-fire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas in May. The Qatari delegation also delivered $20 million for vulnerable Palestinians in Gaza and for humanitarian projects. Some 108,000 families will receive $400 in 4 $100 payments. (HA 6/16; HA 6/17)

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a sign for a planned community in the Golan Heights called Trump Heights, named after U.S. president Donald Trump. Netanyahu decided to dedicate a settlement construction project to President Trump after Trump unilaterally recognized Israel’s annexation of the Syrian Golan Heights. (HA 6/16)

U.S. special representative for international negotiations Jason Greenblatt told The Jerusalem Post that the U.S. administration may delay the unveiling of the U.S. peace plan until November 2019 because of the upcoming Israeli elections in September. In the interview, Greenblatt also said that he supports U.S. ambassador to Israel David Friedman’s statement from 6/8 that Israel has a right to annex parts of the West Bank. (AJ, HA 6/16)